


Friendly Advice

by Katyakora



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: M/M, Ray Palmer is an A+ wingman, minor spoilers for S2E02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-24 04:15:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8356798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katyakora/pseuds/Katyakora
Summary: Nate asks Ray for a little advice in understanding the team's resident pyro.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Mick calls Nate 'Pretty', I can't not ship it.  
> Just a little scene that's been stuck in my head, so I thought I'd share.

“Hey, Ray?”

The scientist looked up at the sound of Nate’s almost hesitant greeting. Their newest recruit stood in the doorway, one fist raised as if he intended to knock against the door frame, looking nervous. Ray put down the tools he’d been using to work on his suit and gave the historian a warm smile, hoping to put him at ease. He couldn't imagine what he might have done to inspire any anxiety in Nate, especially since he'd saved his life.

“Hey, Nate. What can I do for you?”

Nate took that as permission to approach, stepping into the room and seating himself on a crate opposite Ray. “I, uh, there's something I was hoping you'd be able to clear up for me?”

“Okay. Shoot,” Ray prompted, twisting in his seat to give the new guy his full attention.

“You and Mick...you're close, right?”

Ray blinked, a little taken aback by the question, which quite honestly wasn't as simple as Nate probably thought. “About as close as anyone who isn't Leonard Snart can get to Mick, I guess. Why? Has he threatened you? Because that's just how he interacts with people.”

“No, nothing like that,” Nate assured him hastily, before backtracking. “Well, not really. He did threaten to knock me on my ass earlier if I ate the last cupcake, but I didn't take it personally.”

“Yeah, he's only serious if he threatens something he thinks you actually care about. Like, there’s at least six things I can never speak off under threat of getting my head shaved.” He got a mildly bemused look for that, but elected to move on. “So what exactly has he done to confuse you? I'm assuming that's what you wanted cleared up. I'm not completely fluent in pyro but I'm happy to give it a shot.” He waited patiently as Nate hesitated, before the historian’s curiosity outweighed his uncertainty.

“He keeps calling me Pretty. Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?”

Ray could honestly say that was the last thing he had expected Nate to ask, but he dutifully translated as he'd promised, after only a full two seconds of gaping.

“Uh, both, actually. Like, yeah he thinks you're pretty, but that also means he thinks you probably got by on your looks. Which, after all the work you did to track us all through history, I know is definitely not true. And he probably knows it too, but his nicknames tend to stick,” Ray assured him hastily. Nate just looked pensive at his words and Ray frowned, trying to parse the significance of Nate’s question. “Is it a problem? Because he’ll probably stop if you tell him it makes you uncomfortable, although I can’t guarantee the next nickname he comes up with will be any better.”

“No, no, it’s not a problem. I just...wasn’t sure of the intention.” Nate’s tone didn’t give Ray much confidence that his interpretation had helped. Ray’s brow furrowed further, his brain furiously working to figure out why the historian seemed dejected at the thought the abrasive pyro might not think much of him beyond his looks.

“Oh!” Ray’s whole face lit up in a lightbulb moment of understanding. “Do you _like_ him?” he asked incredulously.

“What are you, twelve?” Nate scoffed, but Ray could clearly see his embarrassed blush.

“You wanted to know if he was calling you pretty just to be a jerk or if he was actually interested,” Ray interpreted, completely ignoring Nate’s deflection. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Okay, fine, yes that is why I’m asking,” Nate grudgingly acquiesced, hunching in on himself. “So...?”

“So...what?”

“Do you think Mick’d be...interested. In me,” Nate clarified, looking a little nervous. Ray sighed, gave Nate a pitying look and placed a comforting hand on the other man’s shoulder.

“I have no idea.” He gave Nate’s shoulder a reassuring pat.

“Really? Nothing?”

“Look, when I first got to know Mick, he didn’t trust any of us. And after we lost Snart...well, a person changes when they’re grieving. I think he’s on his way to healing from that, but even before that there was the whole Kronos thing-”

“Kronos?”

“-basically he’s been dealing with some heavy stuff for most of the time I’ve known him, so my Mick-barometer is a little skewed. Also, our mission doesn’t exactly leave a lot of openings for casual chats about our love lives. And then of course there is his complicated relationship with fire to take into consideration.” Ray frowned as he laid out the pile of issues surrounding Mick. “Why are you interested in him anyway? Not that I don’t see the appeal in the whole strong, gruff, bad-boy vibe he’s got going on, but, well, I’ve kind of already pointed out most of the baggage he comes with. And that’s just the stuff I know about.”

“It’s not like I planned it,” Nate huffed. “And I already kind of figured there’d be issues to work around if I did go there.” He shrugged. “I just...he doesn’t think he’s a hero, but all I’ve seen him do is be there for you guys, protecting the team. He doesn’t seem to care what anybody thinks of him but at the same time I think he is so much more than he thinks he is. You know what I mean?”

“I know exactly what you mean,” Ray agreed heartily with a nod. “And I can tell you right now that trying to show him that is an uphill struggle.That’s why he needs people like us, people who won’t give up on him.”

“So you think I should try?”

Ray shrugged. “Couldn’t hurt to at least test the waters. Worst case, he’s not interested. And if he turns out to be a homophobic dick about it, which I sincerely doubt, Sara will kick his ass into next week. But, again, I’m at least 97% certain he’s not that kind of guy.”

“Okay,” Nate said with determination and a fortifying breath, getting to his feet. “And Ray? Thanks. For the advice.”

“Glad to be of service. And admit it,” Ray added cheekily, “the bad-boy thing is at least some of the appeal.”

“I will neither confirm nor deny that,” Nate answered his tease with an amused smirk. “Nor will I ever admit to having a weakness for guys with really gravelly voices who look like they could lift me without breaking a sweat.”

“Knew it. Go get ‘im, tiger.”

“Only if you never say that again.”

Ray waved him off with a smile and went back to his suit, only to look up in alarm at the sound of a thud in the hallway. He rose quickly to his feet and stuck his head out the door only to hastily withdraw it again. Considering the way Mick currently had Nate against the wall, it was probably best he didn’t intrude. Although it did look like Ray needed to have a stern conversation with Mick about eavesdropping on private conversations.

**Author's Note:**

> Nate's probably a little OOC, I don't quite have a complete feel for his character yet.


End file.
